Bringing Up to Score
by Somebody's Angel and MissBehaving
WHERE WE LEFT OFF…
OC came back into the room, "Ready to go?"
Max turned around, her face a mixture of shock and anger.
Max snatched up a piece of torn paper left on the floor.
"ALEC!"
"Um, Original Cindy don't mean to intrude, but aren't you forgetting your guy, 'Logan'?"
Max just held out the note.
"'payback's a bitch'? Break it down for Original Cindy." Original Cindy looked at Max's irate face and clenched fists.
"I kicked Alec's ass, so he took my bike."
Understanding flooded Original Cindy's face. I feel sorry for Alec, she thought. He's gonna get it real bad. "Ouch."
"By the time I get through with him, he's gonna wish I just kicked him in the balls again." Max said, opening her hands to reveal white crescents on her palms. "No-one, but no-one is allowed to touch my baby, revenge or no."
"You let Logan drive your baby." OC pointed out.
Max gave her a look, "That's different. a) I was with Logan when he was driving my bike and b) this is Alec we're talking about."
OC returned Max's look with one of her own. "Or maybe its just Logan."
Max waved her off, "Whatever, the point is that Alec has stolen my baby, and is probably using it to pick up girls."
Max walked into Crash, her eyes scanning the occupants of the main floor with inhuman speed and dismissing them when Alec's smug face was nowhere to be seen. Ignoring Original Cindy's inquiry about what she would like to drink, Max headed to the back room to ensure Alec wasn't there.
On her way she spied Sketchy talking to a girl, and walked up to the two of them.
"Heya Sketch." She said, placing a hand on his shoulder.
The girl threw Sketchy a dirty look, before leaving abruptly.
"Hey, I was-" Sketchy began to protest, before Max cut him off.
"Where the hell's Alec?"
"My man?" Sketchy asked, slurring slightly.
"Yes your man. Where is he?" Max replied impatiently.
"I don't understand why he always gets the girls. Plural. Not just one at a time. I mean, is it his looks or his-"
"Sketchy." Max interrupted warningly.
"Uh, he left with some girl, talking about a high place…or maybe he said his place-Hey where are you going?" Sketchy watched Max's retreating back until OC placed a pitcher of beer in front of him.
"Max and Alec had quite a few unresolved issues." She stated when Sketchy turned his confused look her way.
"What kind of issues?"
"The kind where you steal someone's soul."
"Ohhh…" he paused. "We are talking about her bike, right?"
"Of course we're talking about her bike fool. Anymore stupid comments and Original Cindy will take away your beer."
Max's anger has dissipated somewhat during her run, however the sight of her Ninja leaning against her Space Needle brought it all flooding back.
Moving to her bike, Max quickly checked that it was none the worse for wear. Running her hands lovingly over the seat she murmured, "Thank God you're OK sweetheart. That mean, nasty Alec didn't hurt you did he?"
On his way down, Alec paused when he heard Max speaking. She's making me out to be some big nasty dragon. Can't she see that I appreciate good rides…hmm rides… He let his mind wander to rides, and the owner of this particular ride.
After a few minutes he looked down to see Max's irate face. Wait…this isn't the look she has in my fantasies…that means this is real… His fantasy quickly dissolved into the gloomy stairwell of reality. Shit. "Hey Max." The cocky smirk on his face didn't match his nervously darting eyes.
In reply Max simply grabbed the front of his shirt and threw him over her head and down the last flight of stairs.
Alec looked up at the fuming beauty that was Max. Again his thoughts wandered to what might be under the tight blue jeans and leather jacket she wore.
"Don't 'Hey Max' me." Max stalked down to where Alec was lying and grabbed his collar.
"I'm sorry?" It was more of a question than an apology.
"No you're not." She pulled his face close to hers. "Yes, I kicked you where it hurts, but a) you deserved it and b) my baby didn't deserve to be punished."
I can see the shine of her lip gloss. And if I lean just a little bit closer, I could taste it. Alec dragged his eyes from Max's lips to her eyes, and saw barely restrained fury in her cocoa-coloured orbs. Then again, if I did kiss her it'd be the last thing I'd ever do. His eyes drifted down to her chest. But what a way to go!
Max didn't like the smile that was coming over Alec's face. Nor did she like the way his eyes were roaming over her body. "Look at me when I'm talkin' to you!" she snapped.
"I am looking at you. And it's a damn fine view." Was the sarmy reply.
Max tilted his chin upwards with a finger.
Oh my god she's touching me. Voluntarily, and without violence! Alec thought, his brain struggling to process Max's words while her finger was in contact with his skin. She said something about eyes…her eyes…Alec's line of thought was ended abruptly when Max's fist came towards him. So much for no violence.
"Where the fire truck is Max?" Normal screeched at Original Cindy and Sketchy, not noticing that Alec was also absent.
Sketchy scratched his head. "Uh, Max is one of the few contestants that have won-"
"She'll be here any minute, she …" is still in the clothes she wore last night, Original Cindy thought when Max and Alec walked through the door together. Her eyes widened slightly when she saw Alec's arm around Max's shoulders. Even more startling was that Max didn't seem to notice its presence.
"Normal, hey buddy, sorry we're late." Alec called out to Normal as they strolled down the ramp.
"I slept in, so sue me." Max added.
"I think I tired her out last night." Alec told Normal conspirationally, and watched with satisfaction as Normal's eyes bugged out. Max glared at him, and threw his arm off her shoulder, as if she had just noticed it was there.
"It's your own fault." Max turned to face Alec and pointed at him, "You started it."
"No, you started it." Alec retorted incredulously. "You kissed me first." Monty Cora shoots, and he scores!
Max just glared at him, "I wasn't myself." She spat.
Alec grinned cockily, "Stop making excuses, you want me bad and you-"
He was stopped by OC's hand over his mouth and her voice in his ear, "Your family jewels are in danger of relocation if you finish that thought."
Alec's mouth immediately snapped shut, barely missing OC's fingers. Great. Not only are my family jewels in danger, so's my reputation if she decides to kick my ass again. And because Max is Max, I can't even fight back properly.
Max saw Alec's face go from smug to…Great, he's got that lovesick look again, like he did last night.
OC pulled Max away from Alec, towards the lockers. "Whoa girl, if looks could kill your boy'd be six feet under three times over, and you've only been here five minutes. Speaking of which, where were you last night? You didn't spend the night at Roller Boy's crib did you?"
Max rolled her eyes. "I only wish. Caught up with Alec at the Space Needle, had to kick his ass again. Then I went over to Joshua's. Oh, and Cindy?"
"Hmm?"
"Alec's not my boy."
"This morning, they went walking into Jam Pony together. Alec had his arm around her, and they looked pretty cozy from where I was standing." Asha watched Logan's shoulders slump, and held back her annoyance. I guess he's a little more infatuated with his pretty little pet than I thought.
Her expression held only sympathy when Logan looked up again. Good thing he doesn't know Max wasn't happy with Alec afterwards. Why's he gonna pick a freak he can't touch over me, someone he's known for a helluva lot longer. He wants someone normal, like me. Max doesn't stand a chance. She touched his shoulder. "You deserve better than someone who will cheat on you the moment you're not around." She glanced at Logan's despondent figure one last time, and left the apartment with a small smile on her lips.
She's lying, Logan's mind screamed at him, but doubt was already eating at him. Or is she?
"Look who came down from his pedestal to mingle with the lowly commoners," Mole drawled as he chewed on the end of his cigar.
Alec opened his mouth to respond but he was beaten to the punch by Mikel's voice. "You wanna talk about being on a pedestal, just look at Max. Alec's pedestal for her is so high, if she ever fell off, she would never hit the ground."
"Alec and the ordinary would catch her," Mole agreed.
Biggs snorted. "Like the '09er would let herself be caught by anyone but Logan." There was general laughter at Alec's expense all around.
Alec scowled and waved his arms around. "Hello? I'm right here. And I know some very unpopular sentry shifts that need to be filled." Alec smirked as he got instant silence. Better than threats of castration. "What did the X5s bring back?"
Mikel tossed him a grey plastic folder. "There's a recommendation of soldiers suitable to form the small unit." He pointed to the list of twelve at the bottom of the page.
Hart scowled. "Why is Leon there? He's an asshole. He'll jeopardise everyone by doing his own thing."
Cai stepped forward. "That asshole is the best at what he does and right now, what we need is the best. So he screwed you over once, Hart, let it go. He'll get the mission accomplished no problem.
Alec nodded. "Leon's definitely in for this round. Just make the other's know they're on their own and Cai?"
"Yeah boss?"
"We need to have a little chat with Leon about hooking up the power supply of TC to the main grid."
Three weeks later…
Max silently let herself into Logan's penthouse after a wet, gruelling day at Jam Pony. She walked to the computer room, knowing that Logan would be too absorbed with his computer to hear her less-than-silent approach. "Knock knock." She knocked lightly on the doorframe.
Logan looked up to see Max smiling down at him. "You know, actually knocking might be just as effective." He smiled back at her.
"I need the practice. Haven't had to break into anywhere for a while now…although with your locks I'm surprised you don't just leave the damn door open."
Logan shook his head, "It's proved effective against everything except genetically-enhanced cat burglars."
Max tilted her head to one side, "You know more than one genetically-enhanced cat burglar?" Has Alec been bugging him again?
"The only one who matters is the gorgeous one standing in front of me." He replied, and Max felt her skin flush with the compliment.
"I'm gonna grab a shower. You in the mood to feed a girl?" She asked as she turned towards the bathroom.
"I'm always in the mood to cook for you Max."
Max grinned and headed to the bathroom. Logan saved his work and walked into the kitchen to prepare their dinner.
Ten minutes later Logan was chopping vegetables as Max entered, dressed in black trackpants and a maroon tank top, her freshly washed hair loose, the chestnut strands slowly curling upwards as they dried.
"Smells good in here." Max commented.
"Really? I'm just boiling water." Logan replied, indicating the saucepan sitting on the stove.
"Oh…then it must be you." Max smiled wickedly, and went to a cupboard to take out some wine glasses. "So, what are you in the mood for…" She trailed off as she noticed the lust-filled gaze Logan was throwing in her direction, but managed to continue when she saw the understanding underneath the lust, "red or white?"
"I think red." Logan replied to Max's back as she went to his wine rack.
When dinner was ready – some kind of vegetable pasta that Max couldn't remember the name of – Logan carried the plates to the dining table Max had set. Sitting down to eat, he asked her about her day.
"You wouldn't believe how bad it was. First off OC didn't come home last night, so she came in at about 7am screeching that she'd be late for work. Woke me up…and I was having a really nice dream too…" The seductive look in Max's eyes gave Logan a clear indication of what her dream had been about. "Anyways, Normal, Sketchy and Alec decided that today was gang-up-on-Max day, and they were bitching and complaining all day. Then I had a run-in with a sector cop just before my lunchbreak, he didn't like my Jam Pony ID, something about my hair being curly in the picture but straight in person, and he had to call Normal and confirm that I did work there. When I finally got back Normal decided that I had taken my break in the hour between the time the cop called him and the time I rode into the place, so I had to go without lunch. And to top it all off, it was raining buckets all day…sorry about your wet floor by the way, I'll clean it up later."
"I already did, while you were showering. Wouldn't want anyone – namely me – to slip and fall."
"Yeah, I've heard water does bad things to that exo of yours."
Logan sighed. "That it does." He twirled the last of his pasta onto his fork and placed it in his mouth.
While Max cleared the table and stacked the dishwasher, Logan took the wine bottle and their glasses to the living room, setting them on the coffee table.
When she came into the room he was sitting in the armchair, leaving the entire couch for her. He eyed her up and down as she walked to the couch, as he did every time he saw her, and she came alive with the emotions in his gaze. It was want, but also love, desire, trust, admiration and a million other things that she couldn't name. Look but don't touch. It was their new mantra, to replace the "we're not like that" the two had chanted the previous year.
Her hands were now encased in leather gloves, as were Logan's. It had become a habit of theirs; to be able to touch one another, even through fabric, was better than not touching at all.
"Thanks for clearing up, you're sweet, like honey."
"Ouch!!" he yelped when she smacked his fabric-covered arm.
Max laughed at his girly reply, then stretched out on the couch, resting her head on the arm closest to Logan. "Don't call me honey, alright? I'm not food, so don't call me food nicknames, and I'm not sweet, so you can't call me 'sweetie'."
"I gotta call you something. And it's gotta be sweet cause you're my girlfriend and I have to call you sweet things even if you're not sweet yourself. It's practically required by law." He was quiet for a moment, "I know." Max turned onto her stomach, and looked at him questioningly. "Angel."
Max smiled, "I'm not somebody's angel anymore. Now I'm your angel."
"Yeah," he smiled back, covering her hand with his own, "You are."
They stared into one another's eyes for a few moments, before Max's genetically-engineered hearing picked up a faint scraping at the front door. Silently indicating to Logan to stay where he was, Max slipped off the couch and headed towards the front door, her shoes making no sound on the hardwood floors.
Upon reaching the foyer, Max took up a place to one side of the door, ready to attack the person who had picked the lock. The door swung open and a dark head peered in. The moment the intruder took a step inside the penthouse Max grabbed him by the shoulder and flipped him to the floor. Or at least that was what she had intended to do. Instead, the minute her hand touched solid flesh, she found herself being tossed to the ground, a firm hand on her neck pushing her face into the floor.
"You picked the wrong place to rob, buddy." A rough voice whispered in her ear.
"You really think I'd be robbing the place dressed like this?" The hardwood floor muffled Max's sarcastic reply.
"Maybe stripping…"
Max felt a hand running over her torso, and attempted to lever the person off, only to be slammed down onto the floor, face up this time. Blinking rapidly, Max found herself staring into her own brown eyes…
"Krit! It's me, Max." She choked out.
His features twisted into a sneer, "Max is dead. But hey, good try girly. Let's see …"
"I didn't die Krit-" Max began, her words cut off when Krit flipped her onto her stomach and brushed her hair away from her neck.
Seeing her barcode, he immediately got off her and offered a hand to help her get to her feet.
The minute Max was on her feet she was accosted by a familiar blonde-headed sister.
"Max! You're alive!" Syl exclaimed, flinging her arms around her baby sister. Krit hugged them both, his face in Max's hair.
Looking over the arms of her siblings, Max saw Logan's sad expression and she knew he was wishing he could join the hug without the fear of death.
"Uh…guys it's gettin' kinda hard to breathe…" Max gasped; fearing her ribs might collapse under the pressure Krit and Syl were currently placing on them.
Immediately the pressure was released, and Max's siblings stepped back.
"Hey Krit, Syl." Logan stepped in, and was hugged fiercely by Syl. Krit shook his hand, then Logan indicated the interior of his apartment, "do you wanna continue this reunion in the living room?"
Max led the way into the living room and sat on the couch, with Krit in the armchair and Syl perched on the arm of the couch closest to Max. Logan looked at Max, enquiring if she wanted time alone with her siblings, but Max shook her head.
"So…how…you…" Krit was lost for words, but Max understood what he was asking.
She cast her eyes toward the floor, and mentally braced herself. She hadn't fully explained how she had survived to Logan either, so now was as good a time as any, yet…
"I did die." She whispered softly, and Logan had to strain to understand her words. "Or at least, when I was shot my heart stopped beating." She looked up and gave them an empty smile. "They were going to prepare me for harvesting my organs. But Zack, he only had a flesh wound, he saw me and when they said they couldn't bring me back without an X5 heart, he…he shot himself." Syl slid onto the couch next to Max and opened her arms. Max leaned into Syl's embrace, drawing strength from her big sister to continue her story. "He shot himself to save me. To give me his heart. I have his heart." She brushed the tears away with a quick swipe, almost as if she was angry with herself for crying.
Krit's hands tightened into fists. Zack was always on at me about phony sentimentality and how we can't get too attached to anyone. And then he kills himself for a woman who doesn't even love him back.
"So I survived, and played along while they tried to re-indoctrinate me." Max continued, oblivious to Krit's feelings. "Alec, a clone of Ben's, helped me to escape. Then Logan did an Eyes Only hack to expose the Manticore facility near Seattle, so I went back to free the others. I had to. They were going to burn down the buildings with everyone locked inside…I let them out." No longer able to fight her tears, Max's vision was blurred as she hugged her big sister, who was equally moved.
When their tears dried, Max pulled away from Syl, and the two of them looked up at their men. Syl moved off the seat of the couch and sat on the arm again. Logan sat down on the couch, leaving a notable gap between him and Max.
Krit stood up, "I need a drink."
"You know where the kitchen is." Logan replied, too familiar with Max and Alec's lack of manners to be insulted at Krit's forwardness.
"Syl, you want one?" Krit asked over his shoulder as he walked away.
Syl nodded even though Krit was no longer in the room and Max gave her a strange look.
"What's up with that?" Max asked.
"What's up with that?" Syl countered, indicating the space between Max and Logan.
"I asked you first." Max replied as Krit came back wielding two bottles.
"Up." He nudged her with his foot.
Syl was on her feet long enough for Krit to slip into the space beside Max and pull her onto his lap. He handed her a bottle and Max gave Syl another look.
"Again, same question."
"He's a one night stand that just keeps repeating."
Krit scowled and tightened his grip on her thigh. "Yeah, we hooked up a couple of months before the attack on Manticore."
"So things are definitely looking up." Syl squirmed on Krit's lap.
"And rising fast." Krit added, now placated with the semi-promise of sex.
Max wrinkled her nose, "Too much information."
"So I answered your question, now you answer mine." Syl ignored Krit's wandering hands and stared pointedly at Max. "Last time I checked things were looking up between you two."
Max and Logan exchanged a glance, which Syl didn't miss.
"They were. 'Til a certain smart-aleck came along and screwed us over with a retro-virus genetically targeted-" Max was cut off when Syl realized what had happened.
"To his DNA, gotcha."
"Ouch. That's gotta make things hard." Krit commented with an innocent schoolboy look on his face.
Syl smacked Krit on the back of the head. "Shut your hole, or I won't take care of your little 'problem' later."
An indignant look passed over his face. "Hey! No cracks at Krit Jr. He's got a sensitive ego."
"Krit Jr.?"
"Little Krit gave the wrong impression on the ladies. Besides Syl, you can vouch for how big he is."
"I didn't need to hear that." Max shook her head, "There are some things about my siblings that I just don't need to know."
Syl smiled and passed her water to Krit, before getting off his lap to go to the bathroom.
"Where are you going?" Krit asked her immediately, quazi-panicked.
"Where do you think I'm going?" She replied.
"Can I come?"
Syl glared at him. "No. And if you don't stop with the sexual innuendos you won't be for a while either."
When Syl came back from the bathroom and settled back onto Krit's lap, Max decided to ask the question that had been bugging her since her siblings had arrived.
"So why are you here?" Max asked.
"Came to check up on Logan." Was Krit's curt reply.
At Max's confused look, Syl elaborated, "He was pretty messed up just after you 'died'. Sat on that couch for nearly a week, just staring into space."
"He wouldn't do anything." Krit cut in. "Wouldn't eat, wouldn't sleep, wouldn't shower, wouldn't talk…"
"He fired Bling when the man tried to force him to get up." Syl continued, unperturbed by Krit's interruption. "He practically ripped our heads off when me 'n' Krit started playing chess, made us put the pieces back exactly where they'd been, something about the last game you two played together. He was really depressed. We took his gun off him more than once during that first month."
Max's concerned eyes turned from her sister to her boyfriend. Logan's eyes were downcast, as if he were ashamed of his actions. He knew how she felt about suicide, but at the time he had felt like he had had nothing left to live for.
"Eyes Only has been pretty quiet lately," Syl continued, "So we wanted to make sure he hadn't succeeded this time."
Max nodded, remembering that the last Eyes Only broadcast had been the one about the Sparacino family, almost three weeks earlier.
"But since I don't see a smoking gun…" Krit smirked and trailed off, leaving the double entrende hanging. Max clouted him over the head at the same time Syl smacked his thigh. He grinned, "Little higher doll-face."
"Don't call me doll-face." Syl snapped.
"Doll-face?" Max queried, "Please explain."
Syl turned away from Krit to face Max. She opened her mouth to speak but Krit beat her to it.
"It's what the customers call her."
Max raised an eyebrow suspiciously, "Customers?"
Syl rolled her eyes, "The customers at the casino where I work. I'm the pit boss at the Hotel Majestic."
"Fitting name for a person as majestic as my kitten here." Krit added, squeezing Syl around the waist.
"You've got your boy all trained up on the art of complimenting." Max commented, and her siblings grinned.
"Yeah but it was hard work." Syl replied, "You'd think that being a Manticore soldier he would've learnt to be more observant."
"Hey!"
A week later…
"You've been tired all the time, you've been getting headaches, and you got a nosebleed the other day." Original Cindy ticked off the problems Max had been having in the past few weeks, "You even blew up at Alec yesterday for no reason." Max tilted her head to the side as if to say 'So?' and Original Cindy shrugged dismissingly, "Then again, it is Alec."
"Are you ladies talking about me?" Alec made himself known to them and sat down with an excessively happy expression on his face.
"What are you doing here?" Max asked in a predictable annoyed tone.
"You're hot Max. Is it a crime against red blooded males that we're fatally attracted to beautiful women?" Alec asked as he guilelessly refilled his scotch glass with beer from their pitcher.
"Yes, it is a crime." OC stated, before turning back to Max. "But the man has a point. You do look a bit flushed boo."
"It's just hot in here." Max waved off the concern.
"No it's not," Alec interjected.
"It's just you." OC retorted, then looked at Max's face more closely, "Are you in heat again?"
Max shook her head, "No. That was six weeks ago." Max thought of her last heat and shuddered. I can't believe I jumped Alec of all people. I'm just glad he was able to control himself…
FLASH
"Hey Max," Alec greeted Max as he walked up to the table she and Sketchy were sitting at.
"Hey yourself," Max's tone was seductive, and there was a look in her eyes that Alec had only seen in his dreams.
As he opened his mouth to comment on her behaviour, Max launched herself out of her chair and pressed her body against Alec's. She placed a palm on either side of his face and kissed him, taking advantage of his open mouth to snake her tongue into his mouth. For a moment Alec kissed her back, too wrapped up in the fantasy that had come to life to worry about why it had. But then he breathed in through his nose, and smelt her. The pheromones she was radiating were undetectable to ordinaries, but to her fellow Xs they were intoxicating. And despite the fact that his body reacted to her scent, Alec's mind instantly snapped out of the haze.
"Max!" he gasped, turning his head aside and wrenching their lips apart. "What the hell are you doing?"
He sounded shocked, but also frightened, his eyes wide with disbelief as her fingers eagerly worked their way beneath the black sweatshirt he was wearing.
"Max!" He shouted this time, grabbing her wrists and forcing her back. "Quit it! You don't want me! You know you don't!"
"You're wrong," Max whispered huskily in his ear, her tongue trailing down the side of his freshly shaved cheek as she attempted to free her wrists from his iron grip. "I do want you, Alec. I need you."
"Max, you're in heat," Alec protested. "You want Logan. You're in love with Logan. Hell, you don't even like me most of the time. Think, damn it! Get a hold of yourself!"
Seeing that Max was too far-gone to properly understand what he was saying, Alec slapped her across the cheek, pulling her out of her hormone-induced daze.
"Oh my god." Max raised her hands to her mouth as she realised what she had been on the verge of doing. "Alec…"
"Max don't." Alec quickly shushed her, ever aware of her alluring scent invading his genetically-enhanced senses. As much as he loved her, he couldn't – wouldn't – allow her to do this; she would never forgive herself. He wouldn't forgive himself either – sure he loved her and would love nothing more than to be with her, but he knew it would never happen – her heart belonged to Logan. And despite what many people thought, Alec was not the type of guy to steal someone else's girl. "Let's just get you home." Controlling his own raging hormones, Alec pushed Max out of Crash and took her to her apartment, where he left her in the capable hands of Original Cindy.
ENDFLASH
I can't believe she actually kissed me in the middle of Crash, Alec thought as he remembered Max's last heat. Nearly gave the crew of JamPony a floor show, not to mention the fact that currently they think we're together. And as much as I would love for the rumors to become reality, it's never gonna happen. Go directly to Jail, probably literally knowing my luck, do not pass Go, do not collect $200. I'm willing to bet that by her next heat she and Logan will have found a cure for the virus, so there'll be no repeat show, and I'm just gonna have to live with that. Speaking of her heat…
"She won't get her heat for another seven or eight months." Alec broke into the conversation, and both Max and OC looked at him in confusion.
"What do you mean?" Max asked.
"You don't go into heat when you're pregnant Max." he replied.
Max stared at him in shock as the ability to speak simply evaded her for several long moments. Alec had taken away her beer and drained it, before she managing to get any audible words out, "I'm…what? How…"
Alec interrupted her in a patronizing tone, "Don't make me explain the birds and the bees to you, Max." Then he turned to Original Cindy and frowned in confusion. "Why do they call 'it' 'the birds and the bees'? The queen bee just sits around and lay eggs and once another queen hatches she'll kill her mother and unborn sisters and then when she finally gets with a mate, she ends up killing him. Not a pretty way to go but-"
It was Max's turn to cut in. "I know how. What I wanna know is how you know."
"Your temp's elevated, you've been getting headaches and you're extra tired, not to mention you've been extra bitchy lately." Alec ticked them off on his fingers very matter-of-factly, then took a long drink from his own beer glass.
"And not just to him." OC added helpfully. "I think he's right boo. I mean, when was the last time you slept every night in a week?"
"Oh my god, I have to tell Logan." Max left the table and hurried up the stairs out of Crash. She straddled her bike and steered it towards Logan's penthouse.
Logan sat at his desk in the computer room, waiting for Max to pick up the phone. "Hey, the hot peeps are out on the town at the moment, so leave a message and we'll hit ya back." Original Cindy's voice came over the line, and Logan hung up.
She's out…who is she with? He wondered.
A week before the temporary cure, Max had been in heat. Had she chosen Alec as his substitute while they couldn't touch? Asha had told him that she had seen them together at Crash, acting very intimate, even kissing one another and leaving together. At the time, he had dismissed the very notion as ludicrous, telling himself that Max's heat made her do things she wouldn't normally do.
But now, sitting alone in his apartment, with only his thoughts to occupy him, he was having doubts again. He didn't appreciate the method in which Alec had chosen to heal his bruised ego from the ring fight. Alec had no right to interfere with our relationship. Pretending that they were together in front of their workmates… Logan questioned whether Alec's motives were purely vengeance. He could see that Alec looked at Max the way Zack used to look at her. Like wanting something you knew you couldn't have.
The six million dollar question is "who does Max love?" She had expressed her love for him, the night they were able to touch, but she hadn't said anything like that since then. The only thing he knew for sure was that the words "we're not like that" had frequently been used to describe their relationship, followed closely by "I'm sorry Logan" everytime there was a close call with the virus. Logan was tired of her apologizing. Apologizing for her mismatched family, apologizing for her friends, apologizing for all the things he loved about her. He could see her in his mind, "I'm sorry Logan. I can't do this anymore. It's too risky; I might infect you again. And I couldn't live with myself if I was the one who caused your death. It's just better this way."
Despite his depressing thoughts, an involuntary smile crossed his face when he saw a familiar shadow over his desk.
"Hey strang-"
Max cut him off, "Logan, we need to talk."
"Max, you don't need to say it. I already know." You've moved on with Alec, and it's for the best because we could never be happy together if we can't touch. You're happy with him. I'll just have to get over you.
"You do? Why didn't you tell me? All this time you've known-"
Now Logan interrupted Max, "As long as you keep coming over."
Max shot him a funny look, "Why wouldn't I want to?" Logan returned her look. "I'm pregnant Logan."
Logan stared at Max, unable to reply.
How could I have missed the signs…aside from the tiredness and the headaches, my boobs have been really sore lately, and I've had to pee heaps more often than normal. Who'da thought that one night could get us a permanent responsibility? Not to mention the fact that we can't touch. What kind of parents will we be if we can't even touch one another? And what happens if White hears that I'm pregnant, he'll want to find me even more then, I'm sure. And what will happen if I have to fight someone, how can I do that while still protecting my baby? But…for all the reasons why I shouldn't keep this baby…I still want to. It may be the only part of Logan that I'll ever get to touch, because as much as he says that we will find a cure, every lead so far has come to a dead-end…who knows if we'll ever find a cure. And if we don't…not I don't even want to think about that. I couldn't bear it if I was never able to touch him again…speaking of Logan…
"Logan…please say something." Max pleaded, scared of his reaction.
"Is it mine?" He asked.
Max's face fell, why does he even need to ask that question? Is he so untrusting?
Logan took Max's expression as a 'no'. "It's Alec's isn't it? I'm not blind Max, even Asha could see there was something going on between you two."
Now Max was not only disappointed, she was angry. How dare he? Why would he believe anything Asha says, especially when it comes to me. He knows she hates me and my 'furry little friends'. Feeling tears come to her eyes, Max cursed the hormones that were making her emotional.
"Why did you say you loved me then?" Logan continued, oblivious to Max's feelings, "You said you wanted to be with me, but then you let Alec knock you up. Why don't you just leave then and be with someone who…"
Max raised her hand to slap Logan, but caught herself before her bare palm touched his face. "Don't even think of finishing that sentence." She said, in a dangerous voice. She looked to the ceiling and blinked away the tears in her eyes, before lowering her eyes back to Logan's face. He refused to look into her eyes, instead glaring resolutely at her forehead. "I told you I love you and I meant it. What makes you think I'm gonna sleep with the next guy that comes my way just because we can't touch? What do you think I am, some kind of slut?" The fight was quickly draining from Max's voice, and even Logan in his rage could hear the hurt in her voice. "You're the only person I've ever slept with when I wasn't in heat. You wanna know who the father of my child is Logan?" Max waited silently until Logan nodded sheepishly. "It's you Logan. This child growing inside me is ours, yours and mine."
Leaving Logan to digest this information, Max picked up her jacket and exited the penthouse, shutting the door silently on her way out.
Logan knew that for Max not to slam the door, she was beyond pissed. Oh shit. What have I done now?
TO BE CONTINUED…
So you think Logan's out of character? I have two words for you – Hello, Goodbye. Logan came to the M/A conclusion even without Asha whispering in his ear, and with no M/A kiss so…
Roll Call:
Kasman: I (SA) agree with you Kasman, S2 pretty much sucked, especially in the M/L department…but then again we did have Alec…
toxic honey: yeah, you guessed it, Max's bike was missing…you're probably gonna hate us again for finishing here, but we've found that cliffhangers get better reviews than nice endings…
huntress k: Max didn't forget anything, but she was missing something…sorry about the 2 month wait, probably gonna be even longer before the next one, coz we're coming up to final exams – only 3 months til the exams that could shape our futures…
Lolly81: Max isn't dying, she's pregnant…did you guys like how Alec knew but Max didn't? And Max didn't have the motorbike with her – she rides her pushbike to work and leaves her baby at home.
Misty7, idlehands452, Babyangel 86, maritje, aquaduck: thanks for the positive feedback, promise this story will continue, even if it's ages between updates…we have a lot planned for the future (and not just for M/L either) and sorry about the lack of updates but a) these chapters are 5000 words, which takes time to write and b) we're both in our last year of high school and have schoolwork commitments…